Last Updated on 23 February 2022 by Lily
Sustainable home decor ideas and how to apply them to your home
Looking to make your home more sustainable and greener by using eco-friendly home decor products, but no idea where to start? Well, you are in the right place now. Many people assume that to make your home more sustainable will have to sacrifice the style they want to have in their home. That isn’t true at all. You do not need to sacrifice as there are more and more eco-conscious brands are popping up and are creating beautiful high-quality furniture sustainably and ethically. There are a wide variety of colours, styles, fabrics that you can choose from. This means it is possible to create your own unique style by using eco-friendly home decor without making a negative impact on the environment.
Today, I am going to share how you can make your home more sustainable with eco-friendly home decor. But before that, let me tell you what is sustainable home decor and the benefits of applying it to your home.
What is sustainable decor?
If you already know what sustainable home decor is, do skip here! If you do not know what it is, stay here.
Sustainability in interior design is not as complicated as it sounds. But also it’s not just creating spaces by using eco-friendly products. Sustainable home decor is focusing on reducing the impact on the planet while creating a healthy space where it can promote people’s well-being. And in order to lessen the impact on the environment, many brands use natural materials such as organic cotton, linen, rattan, wood, wool, bamboo, and jute and recycled materials, and renewable materials to create eco-friendly furniture for your home. Most of these environmentally-friendly brands are usually committed to transparency. So as we all are consumers, there are some points that we should pay attention to.
Brands:
• Are they transparent companies?
• Where are they based?
• Do they use ethical and sustainable practices?
Materials:
• What materials are used?
• Is it non-toxic?
• What impact do they cause to the environment by using these materials?
• Does the processing create toxic pollution?
Finishes:
• What ingredients are used? Low or non-toxic?
• Are they no off-gassing?
• Is the paint, stain or finish water-based?
Quality:
• How is durability?
• Are the pieces long-lasting quality?
Life of the piece:
• Is it reusable or recyclable?
• Is it biodegradable?
These are some examples of the things that you can research or ask the brand before you decide to purchase or not. I know some people probably feel that there is no time to research that and why they should choose sustainable home decor instead of non-environmentally-friendly home design as there are so many easy options that you do not even need to be time-consuming. Well, let me tell you why you should use eco-friendly home decor. There are some benefits to you as well as to the environment.
Why should you use eco-friendly home decor?
Eco-friendly home decor can prevent the cause of people’s health
As I mentioned above, most eco-conscious brands are also often conscious of ethical issues. Unlike the mass-market, these companies make sure to take care of people who have involved in the process of making furniture. So using environmentally-friendly home decor means you do prevent the negative impact on the planet, and people.
Eco-friendly home decor can maintain you and your family’s health
We spend approximately 90 percent of our lives at home which means it is important what we bring into our home as we are surrounded by furniture more than any other consumer product. So sustainable home decor is a very healthy option for you and your family. Green products are made with safe non-toxic fabrics and materials which does not impact you and your family’s health.
Eco-friendly home decor promote you and your family’s well-being
You and your family’s well-being is as important as physical health. Applying sustainable decor to your home can improve you and your family’s mental health. Especially choosing products that are made from natural materials such as bamboo, wood, hemp, jute, rattan and many more has a positive impact on a family’s well-being as you may already know that associating with nature is the best natural therapy.
Using eco-friendly home decor can support your local sustainable businesses
Buying environmentally-friendly decor from sustainable brands means you help these brands to achieve bigger targets. By choosing a brand that is committed to sustainability and also regeneration, you can even make a positive impact by supporting these brands.
Buying eco-friendly decor can save your money and give it from generation to generation
Sustainable home decor products are usually made from high-quality and durable materials and each piece is carefully made. That is why it is a little bit expensive. However, it will last for decades, with your good care it will last for even a lifetime and you can pass it to the next generation. So you won’t need to buy again and again and again.
5 ways to make your home more sustainable with eco-friendly home decor
1 . Have some indoor plants and flowers
Besides adding freshness and beautifulness in a room, there are some more benefits to you and your family by having plants and flowers in your home.
Did you know that Indoor air pollution is one of the top five threats to public health? Poor indoor air quality can cause various health problems including eye, nose, and throat irritations, allergies, asthma, blurred vision, dizziness, fatigue, headache, skin irritation, nervous system disorders, and upper respiratory and sinus congestion.
One of the ways to improve indoor air quality is to put some houseplants such as Madagascar dragon trees, Chinese evergreens, Dracaenas, and Peace lilies in your house. Some studies found that plants have the capability to remove pollutants from indoor air and also NASA discovered that plants help reduce volatile organic chemicals/compounds (VOCs). Not only that, placing some indoor plants have massive benefits for you and your family’s well-being as well. Connecting with nature is the best way to promote your mental health. So why not to get some plants from sustainable brand Crocus? If you are looking for flowers, bloom. is one of the best sustainable flower shops in the UK!
2 . Search in vintage shops and pre-owned shops first
This is the most sustainable way to shop for furniture. It is so obvious that there is enough stuff in the world without needing to make more. Using what already exists can save resources, reduce emissions and wastes.
For instance, Vinterior is one of the best vintage furniture marketplaces that only works with selected professional sellers to ensure that the customers can find products that match the values which means you will only find high-quality vintage home decor from them. They offer over 25 styles, including Mid-Century, Art Deco, Retro, Modern Scandinavian, Shabby Chic, Bauhaus, Industrial, Boho, Rustic, British, French, Italian and Chinese Antiques. If you like Japandi style, Scandi style, Minimalist style, and Contemporary style, you might like Franckly which is a curated online marketplace where you can buy and sell pre-owned design, including furniture, lighting, tableware and decor items.
3 . Choose natural materials or recycled home decor from sustainable brands
Choosing decor for your home is a very exciting process, isn’t it? But at the same time, it can be time-consuming as you have to consider costs, style, colours, aesthetic appeal, durability, the ability of performance, and impact on the environment and family’s health.
So what materials can meet all these criteria? The answer is natural materials such as wood, bamboo, cork, jute, wool, leather, hemp, organic cotton, linen, and rattan and recycled or reclaimed materials, and renewable materials.
These materials of home decor are eco-friendly and also very strong, durable, there is a wide range of styles and colours are available, and most importantly it is the very safe home decor you can have in your house. It is a higher price than synthetic materials decor. However, most of the natural materials, recycled materials, and renewable materials home decor made it to last for decades which means unlike other materials decor, you do not have to buy a new one any time soon unless you decided to get rid of it for some reasons. Therefore in the long-term, it is worth investing in.
4 . Learn about less is more
Have you ever heard “less is more” before?
Less is more means that simplicity is better than something complicated. In interior design, it’s more like having just the essential things is better than having way too many superfluous things. Choosing simplicity and timeless design like Japandi, Scandi, Minimalist, Contemporary will allow you to focus on what matters to you and your family and also you won’t need to change decor constantly as it doesn’t matter the trend.
5 . All the products deserve a second life
You might find a perfect piece for your living room, but one day you might want to remove that due to moving out, or changing style. So what would you do in the situation? The ideal would be to give it a second life If it’s possible. Reuse or repurpose it.
For example, turn an old side table into an outdoor planter by replacing the drawer, or cut out the side of an old bathtub to create a cosy couch tub. With little DIY skills and creative thinking, you can transform anything into something unique new furniture. If that is not the case for you, give it to your friends or family who will appreciate it as much as you did.
Final thoughts on How to Make Your Home More Sustainable with Eco-Friendly Home Decor
Making your home more sustainable with eco-friendly home decor isn’t that complicated but it takes time. At the end of the day, it is all your choice where you spend time and money. But I can tell that it is worth it to invest in for you, your family and the planet. I will always be here to help you. Feel free to contact me any time!
Want to create your home more sustainable? Let me help you! I am offering E-Design service for people who needs to make their home more sustainable and healthy. More info from here.
Related to sustainable interior design articles :
• How to Choose an Earth-Friendly Curtain for Your Green Home?
• 15 Eco-Conscious Brands You Can Shop For Japandi Home Decor
• 6 TIps on How to Create Japandi Living Room
• 11 Tips to Have an Environmentally-Friendly Christmas
• 5 Greenest Ways to Heat Your House
• 7 Best Beautiful Environmentally-Friendly Sofa You Should Have
• How to Make Japandi Design Home Office
• E-Design for Sustainable Interior Design
• 6 Best Eco Materials for Your Garden
• 7 Most Eco Flooring Options for Your Home
• How to Choose Non-Toxic Sustainable Flooring
• Top 8 Sustainable Pillows that Made Ethically
• Top 9 Eco-friendly and Non-Toxic Rugs for Your Green House
• How to Incorporate Japandi Design Into Your Home?
• 11 Best Environmentally-Friendly Outdoor Furniture Brands in the UK
• 37 Fabulous Garden Patio Ideas and Inspirations
• Best 37 Sustainable Furniture UK Brands You Will Love
• Top 11 Truly Eco-Conscious Flower Shops
• Tips for How to Create Green Home Office and Sustainable Home Office Inspiration
• 11 Eco-Friendly Materials for Home Decor that You Can Have Safely in Your Home
• What is Sustainability in Interior Design ?
• How Important is Sustainability for Your Home?
• Colour Psychology in Interior Design and How to Apply It
Leave a Reply